Date post: | 14-Jan-2015 |
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Dynamics CRM 2013 Customization and The Platform Evolution
Jukka Niiranen (@jukkan)
Today’s agenda
• History of Microsoft’s CRM platform– CRM 2013 – the start of the next chapter?
• Effects of mobile computing– One app – many, many clients
• Customizing CRM today– Design more than just the data model
• Delivering responsive solutions– …with no code!
About me
• Dynamics CRM consultant from Helsinki, Finland• Worked with the platform since 2005• Frequent blogger & #MSDYNCRM evangelist on
social media– Blog: Surviving CRM at niiranen.eu/crm/– @jukkan on Twitter (& many other networks…)
• Awarded as Microsoft MVP last year• Focused on improving CRM solution usability &
information work efficiency
About Digital Illustrated
• Digital Illustrated is an agile technology agency that creates business value with Microsoft technologies.
• We focus on solutions that improve customer experience, social collaboration and business agility.
• Designing and implementing consumer-grade enterprise solutions built on platforms like SharePoint, Dynamics CRM, Yammer, Azure
• Founded in 2011, growing fast, and owned by the employees• THIS JUST IN! Download a free CRM Online goal visualization
app for your Windows Phone 8 device from crmgoals.com!
HISTORY OF MICROSOFT’S CRM
CRM 2013 – The start of a new chapter?
The first chapter of CRM: 2003-2011
CRM 1.0 (2003)• Sales & service modules• Outlook integration
CRM 3.0 (2005)• Custom entities (XRM)• Marketing module• SSRS reporting
CRM 4.0 (2007)• Multi-tenancy, multi-
language, multi-currency
• Windows Workflow Foundation
• From callouts to plugins• Report Wizard
CRM 2011• Charts & dashboards• The Ribbon• Solution model• Native Outlook app• Form subgrids, web
resources, goal management, dialogs
From evolution to revolution?
• The first 4 major releases of CRM were a steady evolution:– New functionality and options being added alongside existing ones– Platform components replaced with more robust technologies
• CRM 2011 was a “more of everything” release, a pinnacle of this chapter
• CRM 2013 no longer continued on this familiar path, instead it could be seen as an “everything’s different” type of a paradigm shift
2006 2013M
icro
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D
ynam
ics
CR
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Sale
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eUser interface evolution CRM applications: Microsoft vs. Salesforce
CRM design principles: then and now
2004 2013
Clean
Elegant
Simple
THE EFFECTS OF MOBILE COMPUTING
One app – many, many clients
Mobile CRM concept: then and now
What Microsoft originally thought it was What it actually turned out to be
CRM 2013 Client Types
Web Outlook Tablet Phone
Key Differences Between Clients
Web
• Mostly single window
• Sitemap as global Nav Bar
• 3 column form layout by default
• No more Ribbon
Outlook
• Sitemap shown as folders
• Ribbon in main window
• Popups for record details
• Preview form as single column
• No Global Quick Create
Tablet
• Standard forms rendered for touch
• One dashboard• Business Rules
supported• Scripts
supported• No HTML or
iFrames support
Phone
• Separate Mobile forms
• Business Rules not supported
Client Support Considerations
• Every supported client option will require testing – and support• Outlook client is still frequently needed for tracking individual
emails and other activities, regardless of the CRM 2013 Server-side Sync support
• Not all of your entity form functionality may work when accessing the record via the CRM for Tablets app
• The Web UI can be accessed with many non-PC devices
CUSTOMIZING CRM TODAY
Design more than just the data model
Traditional CRM system
Forms resembling traditional paper
forms for data entry
Tabbed navigation
“Exploding” related records menus
Popups everywhere!
Focus on individual records
Little visual guidance available, just fields
Modern CRM system
Every window is a “main window”
Data from parent & child records
All the latest related events
Consistent grouping of information
CRM is not a graphical UI for designing database tables
• CRM customization has traditionally been too much focused on just the data model
• End user experience cannot be the direct result of the data model – it requires proper design work in its own right
• How to store the data and how to present it to the user are becoming more and more independent design tasks in CRM
• However, data model cannot be defined without considering its impact to end user experience
Levels of CRM solution design
Data model
Data presentation
User interaction
CRM 2013 considerations for user interaction design
• Design the Sitemap• Promote child records on parent forms• Be creative with Quick View Forms• Test and customize Quick Create • Optimize the Command Bar• Simulate your process before implementing
Business Process Flows
Delivering responsive solutions
…with no code!
No-code process automation tools in CRM
Workflows
CRM 4.0WorkflowsDialogs
CRM 2011Workflows• Asynchronous• Real-timeDialogsBusiness Process FlowsBusiness RulesActions
CRM 2013
Business Rule
• Executes before save event (form onLoad and field onChange)
• Applied to data updates through UI only
• For working with a single record
• Cannot access data from related records
• Can manipulate data and UI
Real-Time Workflow
• Executes on save event
• Applied to data updates through UI and API
• For working with single or multiple records
• Can access data from parental records
• Can manipulate data only
Asynchronous Workflow
• Executes after save event
• Applied to data updates through UI and API
• For working with single or multiple records
• Can access data from parental records
• Can manipulate data only
Dialog
• Executes on user demand
• Not applied on any data updates
• For working with a single record
• Can access data from parental records and query data
• Can manipulate data only
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Process Automation Functionality
Read more details from my blog at http://bit.ly/crm2013process
Advanced UI customization:then and now
TAKEAWAYS
“Everything is different in CRM 2013 because…”
• It’s consumed via a client applications of different shapes & sizes
• It accepts your old customizations but it presents them in completely new surroundings
• It opens the doors for non-developers to build a truly intelligent, responsive business application
Want to learn more about CRM 2013?
• Watch out for an updated CRM 2013 edition of the CRM Field Guide – a book written by Dynamics CRM MVPs: http://www.crmfieldguide.com/
• Go and read more about the latest Dynamics CRM news and tips on my Surviving CRM blog: http://niiranen.eu/crm/
Thanks for your time!